The primary goal of competitive rowing is to make a human-powered boat travel through the water as fast and efficiently as possible. An efficient boat will have rowers that are synchronous in both their movement and power application on the oar.
To increase boat speed, coaches must address the technique and timing of individual rowers. Coaches traditionally have had to rely solely on visual observations to evaluate the technical issues of rowers. Unlike indoor rowing machines, a rower, coxswain or coach cannot quantify an individual's power application or stroke timing. The lack of objective data makes the delivery of concise coaching feedback difficult. In a sport where races are often won and lost within fractions of a second, additional information about the power and timing of strokes would be very beneficial. Currently, only highly specialized electronic equipment, out of reach of most regular rowing clubs and teams, is able to provide an answer to this need.